Comments Thread For: De La Hoya: Amir Khan Can Be a Five Division Champion

[wazaa.]

Three weight division champion, Oscar. Three weight.

[Mr Reality]

Pacquiao won titles in 5 divisions in only 2 years 8 months/7 fights

and he'd already fought in 6 divisions before that, winning titles in 3 of them

Fighting at catchweights & fighting for belts with fighters that are not ranked in the top 5 help.

A good fighter can be made a great fighter if he holds every advantage.

Additional weight classes have helped. Additional champs help when you like to pick the easiest matchup. In the old days you had to fight the top dog to jump to the next weight class, not cherry pick favorable matchups. It's getting old if you ask me.....Degrading the true champs.

[Mr Reality]

Fighter's should clear a weight class before they move on, if they really want to be considered the top fighter in said class. Cherry picking was not an option back in the days when the jump was bigger. Fact is that it was harder to move up and win titles. Bottom line is that the top dog had to beat the best, not the guy that was a favorable matchup.

Gotta respect fighters that clear a class without avoiding certain matchups, before ascending to the higher weight classes.

[SluggerFan]

Fighter's should clear a weight class before they move on, if they really want to be considered the top fighter in said class. Cherry picking was not an option back in the days when the jump was bigger. Fact is that it was harder to move up and win titles. Bottom line is that the top dog had to beat the best, not the guy that was a favorable matchup.

Gotta respect fighters that clear a class without avoiding certain matchups, before ascending to the higher weight classes.

When has someone cleared out an entire weight division before moving up recently? With four major belts (make that five if you include the Ring belt), duelling promoters who refuse to work with each other along with fighters being stripped of belts right and left for not fighting their so-called ranked number one contender, it's virtually impossible. At best, if you beat two of th best guys then move up, then maybe you can consider them the best. Even if you look at JMM at 135 lbs, he never beat Chris John and John will never fight out of Indonesia again...

The thing is with all these weight classes and junior/super spots between the major divisions, winning 5 titles in 5 weight classes isn't too hard. With that said, Khan may win a title at 147 lbs and 154 lbs, but could anyone really see him beating Sergio Martinez at 160 lbs or Lucian Bute/Andre Ward at 168 lbs.

Now, on to direct topic of Khan winning 5 belts in 5 weight classes:

Right now, considered he does get a belt at 147 lbs, from 154 lbs to 168 lbs, he'd have to fight Bundrage or Canelo to get a title at 154, Sebastian Sylvester, Dmitry Pirog or Chavez Jr/Zbik winner to try to get a title at 160 and Robert Stieglitz to try and get one at 168 lbs. With the other belt holders in those divisions I think he would have lots of trouble with. Even then, would he have enough power to keep guys off of him while protecting his chin going that high in weight...

I don't have any feelings toward Khan either way (I don't love or hate him, I do think he has talent) but I do believe if he could beat Bradley later this year if he fights him, he pretty much beat the best fighters. Alexander was beaten by Bradley so that takes care of the #3 or #4 guy and the only other guy is Zab Judah, who is looking to fight JMM when he moves up to 140 lbs. But from 147 lbs, he may win a belt, but he won't clear out any divisions. I just don't see that happening...

[Uturn]

And the new 'catchweight' king is.....

[hugh grant]

Boy DLH is loving Amir, i wonder how much Amir paid DLH to compliment him? But Amir struggled a bit too much for Maidana for my liking whereas Morales schooled him.

Khan has improved but before the madiana fight i thought he had improved more than that. Khan is harder to hit but seems to expend too much energy and needs to be more economical rather than running.....but maidana was still there in his face.

[Fighting Pride]

Fighter's should clear a weight class before they move on, if they really want to be considered the top fighter in said class. Cherry picking was not an option back in the days when the jump was bigger. Fact is that it was harder to move up and win titles. Bottom line is that the top dog had to beat the best, not the guy that was a favorable matchup.

Gotta respect fighters that clear a class without avoiding certain matchups, before ascending to the higher weight classes.

I agree man, too many belts, too many champions. However this has been going on as far back as the fab four, they propped up there resumes with cheap belts also.

As for cleaning up divisions being rated higher than winning belts at multiple weights. That's not reality. Guys like Calzaghe and Tszyu did that, and they get no respect and actually hated on for not having moved up in weight to seek better challenges. The Klitschkos get no love for doing this.

Weight jumping will always be rated higher

[LeadUppercut]

Fighting at catchweights & fighting for belts with fighters that are not ranked in the top 5 help.

A good fighter can be made a great fighter if he holds every advantage.

Additional weight classes have helped. Additional champs help when you like to pick the easiest matchup. In the old days you had to fight the top dog to jump to the next weight class, not cherry pick favorable matchups. It's getting old if you ask me.....Degrading the true champs.

Bingo !!

That is a fkn good post, I will be " borrowing " that phrase.

[LeadUppercut]

When has someone cleared out an entire weight division before moving up recently? With four major belts (make that five if you include the Ring belt), duelling promoters who refuse to work with each other along with fighters being stripped of belts right and left for not fighting their so-called ranked number one contender, it's virtually impossible. At best, if you beat two of th best guys then move up, then maybe you can consider them the best. Even if you look at JMM at 135 lbs, he never beat Chris John and John will never fight out of Indonesia again...

The thing is with all these weight classes and junior/super spots between the major divisions, winning 5 titles in 5 weight classes isn't too hard. With that said, Khan may win a title at 147 lbs and 154 lbs, but could anyone really see him beating Sergio Martinez at 160 lbs or Lucian Bute/Andre Ward at 168 lbs.

Now, on to direct topic of Khan winning 5 belts in 5 weight classes:

Right now, considered he does get a belt at 147 lbs, from 154 lbs to 168 lbs, he'd have to fight Bundrage or Canelo to get a title at 154, Sebastian Sylvester, Dmitry Pirog or Chavez Jr/Zbik winner to try to get a title at 160 and Robert Stieglitz to try and get one at 168 lbs. With the other belt holders in those divisions I think he would have lots of trouble with. Even then, would he have enough power to keep guys off of him while protecting his chin going that high in weight...

I don't have any feelings toward Khan either way (I don't love or hate him, I do think he has talent) but I do believe if he could beat Bradley later this year if he fights him, he pretty much beat the best fighters. Alexander was beaten by Bradley so that takes care of the #3 or #4 guy and the only other guy is Zab Judah, who is looking to fight JMM when he moves up to 140 lbs. But from 147 lbs, he may win a belt, but he won't clear out any divisions. I just don't see that happening...

No, he wouldn't.

Any thoughts about 154 are 2-3 years away (min) for Amir.

Who knows what will happen in the meantime.

And it is highly unlikely that he will ever campaign at 160/168.

He could be handed a vacant belt, for fighting Robert Guerrero, at a catch-weight of 148, for a JMW title, just like Manny did, and just like Canelo did.

Belts are worthless, they give the fkn things away now.

In light of that fact, maybe I could see him winning something at MW, but that will not be in the near future, and it depends on how Amir develops over the next few years.

[LeadUppercut]

I agree man, too many belts, too many champions. However this has been going on as far back as the fab four, they propped up there resumes with cheap belts also.

As for cleaning up divisions being rated higher than winning belts at multiple weights. That's not reality. Guys like Calzaghe and Tszyu did that, and they get no respect and actually hated on for not having moved up in weight to seek better challenges. The Klitschkos get no love for doing this.

Weight jumping will always be rated higher

And that is fkn absurd, it is actually a sad indictment on our sport.

Divisional supremacy is what counts, and always will to me.

Many great fighters fought in one division their whole career.